eBay selling virgin - help please

[Eminybob]

Hi. I have bought off eBay but not sold before so I was looking for a bit of advice.

I am selling my wedding dress/ shoes/other bits and was wondering first of all, what type of price to expect.

Dress was £170 new, worn once, shoes £40 worn once. What sort of starting price would you put? And is it possible to put a reserve on? I obviously want to get as much as I can, but also don't want to put people off.

Also, how do I know how much to charge for postage?

Any other advice would also be greatly appreciated.

TIA

[DryAsRain]

I read that title completely wrong, I thought EBay were selling Virigns

[SupermanStoleMyPants]

me too Rain

[Eminybob]

Haha that would have probably made a more interesting thread!

[NisekoWhistler]

Search for what you're selling and then select completed items and see and then also select sold items to see what they actually sold for.

I'm an avid ebayer and sold lots over the years and often stuff has gone for way more than I expected. However I was very disappointed with how little I got for wedding stuff. It's a flooded market, well it's not like anyone uses their wedding stuff more than once so everyone ebays it.

Good luck

[ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam]

The minimum reserve amount you can put is £50 I think, so you could try that with your wedding dress. From my experience, non designer clothes go for a pittance. I usually try and sell things for half what it is new, then work down from there
I think you'll be lucky to get a third or even a quarter of the new price, but you never know!

[ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam]

I've just searched Ebay 'wedding dresses size 12' there's over 100,000

[ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam]

Just a thought. Could you have your dress made into something else maybe, a quilt or cushion covers for your bedroom. I've even seen cuddly toys made from clothes.

[Eminybob]

I was thinking of dying it as it's just stretch lace and knee length, might look good black. But I really need some extra cash now.

We just had a simple small wedding so I'm not particularly sentimental about the stuff.

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'm going to try and put some listings up this afternoon while DS is napping.

[smilingeyes11]

you prob won't get much money for your dress. I would do a buy it now with best offer and free p&p and would send by Hermes. If buy it now start any time, if auction don't start until 8pm ish.

[Eminybob]

Thanks. Any idea roughly what I might get for it? I can't find a similar one that has sold on eBay.

[robin64]

What make is the dress?

[CodyKing]

If you download the app it will give you the chance to type lots in - it works out the postage or recommends postage (app also kachinggggs when a bid is placed)

Write as much as you can

Wedding dress 12 silk lace prom guest etc

Then put in measurements lengths size

The times I've seen

Trainers worn once

No size or anything!

It's not difficult but take nice pictures away from mess - this I've seen loads!

[smilingeyes11]

I honestly don't know - but I know the market for second hand dresses on eBay is very poor.

[i8sum314]

For postage, do people weigh the item and then see how much the postage would be, then round up? is that how it's done?
I know on etsy i've been charged four pounds for postage for an item that cost 1.80 to post!

[smilingeyes11]

No - I just send all clothing Hermes - costs £2.75 up to £1kg and is tracked. Much less fuss than RM, ischeaper and tracking which is necessary plus you can link it to your eBay so it uploads info to eBay for you so no buyers claiming not received.

[CodyKing]

It will guess an average / shoes in a box are £2.80

At shirt in a flat envelop is £1.40 but more if it's a parcel / non postbox

[NisekoWhistler]

For an idea of how much you may get search for it then select sold items - there's your answer

[lljkk]

Try listing the items for about half of what you paid, include a million pictures & all the flaws you can think of describe in detail.

List the dress/shoes as "buy it now" with the option of best offer. See what happens.

Do not use reserve; waste of fees. If you must use auction, make your start price the reserve price.

Include postage in the price of the dress and tick the "free postage" box, so you don't have to worry about weighing things. Don't sell for under £7 (£10 for the dress) including postage, or you may not even get £1 back in profit after fees+postage.

Bad news is: August is mostly a bad month for sellers. School stuff may sell ok. Picks up again in September.

[Eminybob]

That's fantastic advice thank you.
May wait until September then.

[ProcrastinatingNow]

When we sell anything on eBay we always start at 99p. (Even a car once) You get loads of interest and watchers then.

If it's priced high you'll get very little interest ime.

But you could put it on auction and a Buy It Now price of whatever you would be happy with. Also, in the description say that you'll consider any sensible offers.

[ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam]

I'd be too scared to do 99p start, I'd bloody sell it at that knowing me! I'd rather give it to charity than give something away for a pittance when it's worth a lot more.

[smilingeyes11]

99p start is pointless - it used to be free at that price but is now free at any price. You risk only 1 bidder which is ludicrous. Start either at the min price you want or do buy it now cheekily high with best offer.

Selling at 99p after fees means you will prob end up making pennies if that per sale, why would anyone bother doing that.

[ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam]

I think you can only start things at 99p if you're virtually certain it'll go up, stuff that constantly sell for higher prices is worth the risk. Most things wouldn't be worth that risk though IMO.

[Eminybob]

So do I have to pay fees to eBay?

[ButteredToastAndStrawberryJam]

You'll probably not pay for putting your advert on but they'll take a commission out of your sale price and postage! I think it's 10%.